The Kingdom open for ALL!

Why do we believe what we believe?

Do we believe what we do because we’ve been told to our entire lives?

Have we been led to believe that if we try to understand the otherwise glazed over passages, that we are being doubtful, even sinful?

Should we just go along with the status quo, keep quite, and be compliant in our religious regime so we aren’t alienated?

Is that what Jesus desired? Is this what he suffered for—so we can sit in a pew and fight to stay awake?

It really sucks to see so many people hurting just trying to make it to another Sunday to get a fix. Religion is marketed like a drug and dependency is upheld as the motivation—You can’t really survive out there without us.

Most depressing is the way the Bible is twisted. I see passages ripped out of context to threaten people by an otherwise loving and benevolent Being. Prophecy that was written for a specified time and to a specified people, as affirmed within its’ own text, is redeployed into our society to intimidate and manipulate others. “Jesus could return at any second,” is used as a threat to keep people under the control of religious fear. I’ve done so myself and feel horrible about those I scared away from our loving Creator. Any event that remotely resembles something from prophecy is instantly elevated as a woe of “these last days.” However, nothing in the Bible actually confirms such an illogical leap. There’s a whole lot of reinterpretation of rather direct scripture in order to confuse others to think they are unworthy to comprehend what the Bible says. A large part of my desire is to remove such fear of the Bible so people can read it with joy and know Father’s heart for themselves.

Do I get it all right? Nope! But I refuse to have the Bible interpreted to me second hand without researching the scriptures for myself. This is to know if someone is actually representing scripture accurately, just perpetuating cliches they’ve been “indoctrinated” to parrot, or otherwise seeking to establish their agenda so they can take the wheel of control and power for a time. There is immense joy in knowing God’s heart, but often I just see people using vain repetitions to justify their assumed beliefs without understanding. I try to encourage everyone not to trust in me. My goal isn’t to develop a following or have people hanging on my words. To do so would be to write/speak in a way that would manipulate others. My goal is to free others into the Kingdom of our Lord Jesus that is open, now, to all! Too long have gatekeepers insisted that we have to be in submission to them to get in, when Jesus has been inviting us to enter since he opened the way through the cross!

I also realize that many are not in a place in their spiritual walk where they can consider some claims I’ve made. This mostly seems to be because we’ve been told what to think for so long, we’re afraid to consider even the slightest variation. Like in Babette’s Feast, we’ve accepted a lackluster religion which we more often mourn than celebrate. The true feast is so much more, but we’ve been conditioned not to enjoy it, even though the price cost Jesus everything!

Like in Plato’s Allegory of the Cave, we’re worshiping shadows on a wall, yet we’re being beckoned into the beauty of life illuminated by the Son.

It is because of the love of the Savior, Jesus Christ, that I write. It is by him I have been made free to not fear what other’s may think, do, or say to or about me. I’m not afraid of being called heretic, blasphemous, etc…I will daily take up my cross for what I know as truth and suffer well for those that would be set free by the Gospel.

All of this being said, what do I believe is the Good News? Death and Hades have been defeated. Death is but a doorway into eternity. The Law of the Spirit is written on everyone’s hearts and minds. We don’t have to instruct others to know of God, for they all know him, from the least to the greatest. The price of sin has been paid in full forever. Nothing separates us from the love of Father now!

These aren’t just pleasantly hopeful, optimistic concepts. This is the beauty that lies in Kingdom life that I strive to live in daily. This is the life and love of Jesus that I hope everyone can experience, not just on Sunday, but all the time—from now and continuing on into eternity!